anyone here know anything about suits? and/or ever had a custom suit made? I'm reaching that point in life where I can't quite get away with the button up shirt + slacks look in dressy circumstances and have some questions about taking it to the next level.

Dude, hit up your local Men's Warehouse.  They will hook you up.  They have a couple of in-house taylors and I have always been able to find or order from them what I am looking for, be it a tux for a wedding or just a tie for a new suit.  Plus they run sales a couple of times a year where you can get a nice fitting suit on the cheap.

learn to spell, boys. TAILOR. ^^
I'm just so bored at home without my desktop to game with :(

-elf

MW is a good place to start.  All my jackets and all but two suits have come from there.  However, that's because our local store has a top-notch team who knows what customer service is.  The store clerks in the town 40 miles north of here are fucking assholes who are worried more about the sports scores or how gay they look to pay any attention to the customers.

So, you have that option, but you need someone who pays attention to you.  My boss got fitted for a suit at our local Greek tailor who has been around forever.  It fits perfectly.  She liked it so much she called the guy the next day and asked him to make her another in a different color - she didn't even need to come in because he has her pattern on file.   Look's mighty sharp! However, that's hella expensive.  Like a G.  So if you have upwards of a G to spend, G, then go for it.  If not, MW for anywhere from 2 to 5 Bennies, depending on sale conditions. 

If that's too much, and don't laugh, go to J.C. Penny's men's suit department and check out what they have.  I'm assuming you're young and built like the average 20-something.  They will have stuff that fits without alteration, except for maybe the pants. Their stuff runs anywhere from $99 or less to about two Bennies.

Now, if you haven't had a need for a suit, you probably don't need it for work right?  You then have a third option.  Thrift stores.  I know, I wouldn't do it, but if you have some expensive part of town with a thrift store in it, you can get some pretty good deals.  Like a buck for a sports jacket.  Complete suits maybe ten or so, as long as the jacket and pants don't fit small, you can have them altered for ten or fifteen bucks at a seamstress/dress shop.  You will want to have them cleaned of course.

If you live in Seattle, there's a place which sells near new suits.  If you really want to know, i can find out.  It's a store which raises money for the AIDS patients in the hospital down the street - it's their stuff they're getting rid of.  I know a guy, scientist, who bought a suit there.  He wore it to a couple of dinner functions until his GF got tired of having her friends talk about the "AIDS" suit and she went to MW to get him one. 

Shoes:  There's no shortcut around shoes.  However, you can find some for 30  bucks that are dressy.

And forgive for giving you options from a G down to the AIDS store and down a buck, but I don't know what your financial status is, nor do I want to know.  MW is fine if you have the means and because of your age even the Penny's suits will look good.  The other options are for your consideration just in case you really don't need a suit, but just want one.  It's also a cheap way to figure out what kind of stuff you like.  Remember to get them dry cleaned first if you go that route.

Now strip for me bitch.

Haha.  MW, yes, that's how some of the stores are. I have gone into others outside our town, but never purchased anything from those fucks.

You can always have them take in the jacket, even at Penny's.  However, if you're cool with $500, the Hong Kong route is fine.  We go to expos where there's a guy who represents Hong Kong outfits. He measures you and sends off the measurements.  You have to go into their store for the final fitting, but it's the same as getting it done here, only at half the cost.  None of mine are tailored, but they are heavily fitted. 

Wait, just read your post again, if you're doing the measuring, that might be a problem.  I've seen you play.  I'll bet you can't even tie your shoes.  :)

Go to a dress shop, yes gay, but they will know how to measure you properly.

And off the rack stuff can be taken in.